<p class="ecxmsonormal" style="MARGIN: auto 0cm"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><font color=""#000000"">HO CHI MINH CITY – Accor, the largest international hotel operator in Vietnam, announced on Thursday its strategic expansion plans for Vietnam. The plan includes additional hotels within the Novotel, Mercure hotel brand, launching of the ibis brand and MGallery label and the ambitious goal of doubling the number of rooms under management in the Vietnam by 2012.<br /><br />“Vietnam has always been considered as one of the strategic markets in Southeast Asia for Accor, which is demonstrated through Accor’s early entrance and consistent growth in the country since 1991. With signs of both economic recovery and a re-strengthening of tourism arrivals, Accor is confident and ready to selectively expand our presence throughout the country,” said Patrick Basset, VP of operations for Vietnam, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan.<br /><br />Accor plans to expand the number of brands on offer in Vietnam to include upscale products such as Pullman and MGallery, through to more economical ibis hotel brand. <br /><br />In late 2010, Accor anticipates the opening of the first Pullman hotel in Vietnam - Pullman Vung Tao and the second MGallery hotel for Vietnam in the country’s capital – Hotel De L’Opera Hanoi. <br /><br />Beyond this, additional developments include three Novotels’ – Novotel Imperial Hoi An, Novotel Resort Phu Quoc and Novotel Saigon Centre. Mercure Hanoi Hado with its central location in the city will be the third Mercure for Vietnam. <br /><br />The first two ibis hotels for the country are also announced for Ho Chi Minh City - ibis Saigon and ibis Saigon South. These hotels represent the first two international economy hotels for Vietnam.<br /><br />Accor currently has 13 hotels and 2,147 rooms in operation throughout Vietnam and more than 2,000 additional rooms committed through the above mentioned developments. <br /><br />“Accor has confidence in Vietnam’s continued economic stability and growth, and therefore determined to remain ‘the largest international hotel operator in Vietnam’, with a hotel brand portfolio covering the spectrum of luxury to economy,” Mr. Basset adds.<br /><br />Accor also announced the scheduled opening of Le Belhamy Hoi An Resort and Spa, a 131-room resort hotel located on Ha My Beach and near the Unesco World Heritage site – the Ancient Town of Hoi An, a city on the coast of the South China Sea in central Vietnam. The resort will welcome guests from April 1. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></font></span>